A Farewell to Arfs, by Spencer Quinn (Tor Publishing Group, 2024, 278pp HB, $27.99) Reviews of other Chet and Bernie books here and here and here. . . .
I came across A Farewell to Arfs quite by mistake but it reminded me that it has been a long time since I last read a Chet and Berrnie dog mystery and I missed those guys! It was good to be back. This is number 15 in the series. So far.
Author Spencer Quinn is at the top of his field as usual, with the help of Chet The Dog (Bernie is Chet's human and a PI). Or maybe it's because of Chet The Dog. I had mistakenly remembered that chapters alternated between the two as narrators but soon recalled that Chet The Dog is the "narrator extraordinaire" and the reason for the book series - and its successes.
Chet is the lovable, fast-talking but slow-remembering sidekick in danger but we love him. He gets sidetracked so easily that even we can't always follow him.
The Plot
We love how the exciting climax comes not at the end but several chapters earlier with the explanation at the end. Set in probably Arizona or New Mexico, like many Chet and Bernie stories, this one tackles AI and computers and hacking and . . . . basically, an old man's life savings are stolen by his son when the man's passwords are handed over. But was it really to his son on the phone? Does a parent ever get his child mixed up over the phone?
We love the return of the Hawaiian shirts and 'big guy' and how Chet thinks Bernie is the smartest one in the room (always) and we love the love Chet has for Bernie.
Starting with Heart of Barkness (number 8 in the series), the book covers feature a pawprint* and a photo of our hero, Chet, rather than just his silhouette (which left it all to your imagination). I preferred to imagine Chet rather than see him as a dog different than what I had imagined.
You can read the Chet and Bernie books in any order but they are a bit better when read consecutively. For example, I read Farewell after skipping a few, only to find that Bernie's love interest had changed. Now he is engaged to a female police officer who doesn't need his protection (given) which results in the ceremony being put off.
And, About the Title
As a book reviewer, I find myself starting in the back. Is there an index? Does the book need one? I read the acknowledgements, intro, preface, ToC (table of contents), all the boring things you, the reader, skips over. I look at the front and back cover, and, of course, the title. I couldn't figure out this title though it did refer to A Farewell to Arms. . . .
Recommendation
If you don't mind talking dogs, you will love these books!
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*However, fortunately, the Chet and Bernie books are referred to as the Chet and Bernie books with the right order of protagonists: Chet, first!
